LEE ABRAHAM (ex- Galahad) – Stars Align: Live At The 1865 (2025)

British multi instrumentalist LEE ABRAHAM has been member of various well known bands being the most remarkable Cosmograf and melodic progsters Galahad, but he also has a respectable solo career. Last year we featured here Lee’s very good last studio album, and while presenting it shows were recorded, and now we have ”Stars Align: Live At The 1865”.

Lee comments: “Following my gig at The 1865 in Southampton, we had the gig recorded and I’m delighted that it’s being released as a live ‘Official Bootleg’ style album. The gig was a fantastic evening where the band was joined by vocalists Peter Jones (Camel) and Marc Atkinson (Riversea, Moon Halo) who sang songs that they have recorded for me in the past.
“Once I heard the recording, it was just too good not to release it and while mixing desk recordings tend to be ‘warts and all’ as you can’t fix mistakes or even mix it, it came out so well we decided to mark the evening by going ahead with this release”.

Well, let’s cut to the chase, this ‘Official Bootleg’ goes straight in as one of the best live releases we have heard in recent time. Backed by some seriously impressive musicians, this Lee Abraham show really showcase what is great about live music. He and the band rocks much more than into the studio – take a look a the cover art, he’s wearing an Iron Maiden T-shirt!
Sound quality is excellent, and the songs wonderful pieces of melodic neo prog with AOR and pop-rock flourishes. Live albums give music fans the opportunity to gain insight into the work of an artist they don’t know very well, or give completists the chance to own everything by that artist. Lee Abraham certainly succeeds in satisfying both camps here.

So anyone who doesn’t know him gets a little tutoring in modern neo-prog, and fans finally get to see what he sounds like live. His studio work is rich in consistently high quality, technically exhausted with many details.
But live is live, and Lee and his band rocks is ”Stars Align: Live At The 1865”. His guitar playing is rawer, heavier, hot, while his band shines with dexterity and energy. Special mention to both vocalists, doing a superb job.
Lee adds; “As I said to a few people after the gig, the stars aligned perfectly to enable the gig with Marc and Pete to take place – hence the live album is called Stars Align: Live At The 1865”.
Highly Recommended

 

01 – The Same Life (Live)
02 – Stay (Live)
03 – The Hands of Time (Live)
04 – Chalk Hill (Live)
05 – Harbour Lights (Live)
06 – Siren’s Song (Live)
07 – Awaken? (Live)

Lee Abraham – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Rob Arnold – Keyboards and Backing Vocals
Ken Bryant – Bass
Gerald Mulligan – Drums

Special Guest Vocalists:
Peter Jones (1, 2, 3, 4)
Marc Atkinson (5, 6, 7)

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